Hyderabad man in disbelief seeks clarity over brother’s death in Ukraine war

Hyderabad: Mohammed Imran, whose brother, Mohammed Afsan, a Hyderabadi youth confirmed to have died in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, is in disbelief. He suspects if it’s his brother who had died or a case of mistaken identity by the authorities.

Imran now wants to travel to Russia to confirm if it’s his brother Afsan or not.

Afsan was one among the two youths from Telangana duped by a Dubai-based agent to work as a helper in the Russian army but then forced to join the battlefield.

On Wednesday, the Indian embassy in Russia informed Afsan’s family members that he was dead. The embassy also said arrangements are being made to send Afsan’s mortal remains to India.

“I spoke to the Embassy people yesterday. Today I could not talk to them. I don't believe my brother is dead. I suspect there is some mistaken identity. The agents who had sent Afsan to Russia are claiming he is still alive. I would like to go to Russia and confirm if it is Afsan or not. I want Embassy help to travel tp Russia” Imran told DH on Thursday.

He added his brother had taken a hand loan from an acquaintance to pay to the agent to land the job with a hope to repay the amount in just three months, given he was "offered" a salary of Rs 1.5 lakh per month as a helper in the Russian army. Now, Imran says all those hopes and dreams have crashed.

It came to light that of the 20 odd youths from India, confirmed by the MEA, who were duped by the job agents offering "helper jobs" in the Russian army, two were from Telangana.

Mohammed Afsan, 30, from Bazaar Ghat of Hyderabad's old city, and Mohammed Sufiyan from Narayanpet in Telangana went to Russia to work as helpers to the army.

Afsan is survived by his two children -- an eight-month-old daughter and a two-year-old son, and his wife. His wife was working at a cloth store in the city before he went to Russia last November.

He was lured into a Russian army job by a Dubai-based agent, who runs a YouTube channel promising well-paid jobs as helpers in the Russian army.